Need a nap? Pay for a place to snooze, or a pillow at the desk will do

SINGAPORE — It would be quite a dream to take a nap in between your working hours, and for a number of people, they are willing to pay to do it.

At least 15 workers in need of a quick shuteye have done so since a novel service called 45winks was launched a month ago by mattress brand Simmons.

Located at Simmons’ new flagship store at Capitol Piazza on North Bridge Road, it offers customers a choice to take a nap in a hotel-quality private suite.

Each 45-minute session costs S$90 but is now going at a promotional price of S$45.

Mr Lai Wei Leong, a 40-year-old business owner, clocks a daily average of just four to five hours of sleep. He went for a nap session at 45winks and fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow, he said.

“I didn’t have a hard time falling asleep. I don’t have enough sleep as a business owner and father of two boys,” Mr Lai said.

“It was a relaxing experience. I felt like I checked into a five-star hotel, (but) I’ll likely not try it if they were going to charge S$90 — S$45 is reasonable,” he said.

Nap services are a small but growing market in Singapore where sleep is in short supply.

Cinema operator Golden Village, for example, opens its Gold Class theatre at Suntec City mall for sleep-deprived individuals who can snooze from noon to 1.30pm on weekdays in what it calls its “Executive Zen Zone”. Just pay S$10 and book a seat as you would a movie ticket.

Over at Chop! Chop! Massage Express in Marina Bay Link Mall, you may rent its massage beds for a 30-minute nap at S$28, or S$20 if you book from 2.30pm to 5.30pm.  

Mr Casey Teh, managing director of Simmons in South-east Asia, said that 45winks is targeted at professionals, managers, executives and businessmen who need a power nap to recharge and “spring back into action” during the day.

Mr Teh came up with the idea of this service, which is popular in cities such as Hong Kong and New York, after noticing that there are numerous studies which found that Singaporeans lack sleep.

The suites at 45winks are designed to simulate the ideal sleep experience to enhance work performance. Think adjustable mood lights, cool temperature, plush mattress and bedding, comfortable pyjamas, among other sleep-enhancing aids.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD POWER NAP?

Research has shown that naps work as a pick-me-up during the day.

Dr Adrian Saurajen, ear, nose and throat surgeon at Nobel ENT Centre, a member of Healthway Medical Group, said: “A short nap can help you feel more refreshed, improve performance at work or school, make you feel more alert and improve your mood, whether you are sleep-deprived or not.”

However, snooze too long and you end up getting something called sleep inertia.

Dr Saurajen explained: “This results in the possibility of feeling even more lethargic after the nap or affecting the quality of sleep that same night.”

Most data suggests that naps should last only around 10 to 30 minutes for optimal outcome, excluding the time it takes to relax and fall asleep, he added.

The timing is important.

“Don’t do it too late in the day (in the evening, for example) or too soon after lunch. Try to gradually slow down your pace before your nap,” he advised.

Experts have said that a comfortable, dark, quiet and cool sleeping environment — the same required for a decent night’s rest — are important factors for a good nap. Your clothing also matters, Dr Saurajen said.

“Comfort plays a key role in resting well, whether you are napping or sleeping at night. It is recommended to keep the room dark, quiet and cool (ideally, around 18°C to 24°C) — with mobile devices kept away.”

YOUR DESK WILL WORK, TOO

For those who are too tired to venture out of office and do not want to pay, no-frills naps will work as well.

Dr Leow Leong Chai, director of the Sleep Disorders Unit at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH), said it is fine to just sit in a comfortable chair or lie on a pillow or cushion at the work desk and nap for 20 to 30 minutes.

Dr Leow, who is also a senior consultant at SGH’s department of respiratory and critical care medicine, noted that mid-day naps are a common practice and are encouraged in workplaces in certain East Asian countries such as China.

“Many people even take mattresses or pillows to work and place it under their desks. I think Singaporean employers should consider similar practices here as productivity will likely increase,” he said.

NO SUBSTITUTE FOR A GOOD NIGHT’S REST

Chronic sleep deprivation, which has been linked to multiple health issues including a weakened immune system and higher risk of death, is a common problem here. 

Singaporeans took the second spot as the world’s most sleep-deprived people, in an online poll done last year by market research firm Wakefield Research across 12 countries.

International survey agency YouGov Omnibus found in a 2018 poll that about four in 10 (44 per cent) Singaporeans get less than seven hours of sleep a night — the minimum number of hours necessary for an adult. The majority also had trouble sleeping through the night.

While naps can help combat fatigue and sleepiness during the day, experts said that they will not negate the adverse effects of long-term lack of sleep.

Dr Leow said that daily cycles of deep and uninterrupted sleep are crucial for health and well-being. 

“It is only during this time that metabolic wastes are cleared most effectively from our brain and body, stores of neurotransmitters are replenished, and neuronal connections (in the brain) are re-organised and strengthened, which are important for memory and learning,” he explained.

“None of these processes can take place effectively during short naps.

“In recent years, there are more and more studies showing a link between lack of deep sleep and worsened memory and increased incidences of dementia,” Dr Leow added.

Sleep deprivation can also occur even when people think they are getting enough hours of sleep. For instance, when their sleep is of poor quality.

Dr Saurajen said that this is common in patients with obstructive sleep apnea, which occurs when the upper airway is too narrow or floppy, and they wake up tired despite getting enough sleep.

He added that people who feel persistently lethargic despite getting enough sleep should seek medical attention to rule out certain medical conditions.

UNINTERRUPTED SLEEP

Dr Leow urged Singaporeans to prioritise sleep, but said that many of the products and services in the market that are designed to enhance sleep “are just marketing”.

Referring to a recent study on sleep habits in various pre-industrial cultures across the world, he said that sleep problems such as insomnia do not seem to affect people in tribal societies.

“They don’t even have words to describe insomnia. So, insomnia seems to be a consequence of being a part of a modern industrialised society, with our artificial lights, caffeine, 24/7 on-demand entertainment and food, busy social lives, stresses and never-ending worries — all making it truly difficult for us to relax and rest, even when we are in bed.”

Ultimately, nothing trumps good sleep habits.

Dr Leow said that it is important to have measures in place to ensure that one can spend seven to eight hours each night in bed, without any disturbance.

He offered some tips to follow:

• Avoid caffeine after 2pm

• Relax and wind down after dinner

• Limit screen time to one to two hours before bedtime

• No screens or electronic devices in the bedroom

• Keep to regular sleep and wake times

• Get 30 minutes of bright light exposure each morning

“Best of all, most of these measures are free,” he said.